Deep Space Telemetry and Telecom Network - DST
The Deep Space Telemetry and Telecom Network would be a solar-system-wide equivalent of the Down-Range Telemetry and Telecom Network - DRT&TN established as part of the Bifrost program. Its purpose would be to provide very long distance tracking and telemetry communication for spacecraft, long distance extreme broadband digital communications, digital store-and-forward data transfer, and astronomical research facilities. These facilities would be provided through the deployment of a large number of self-mobile self-maintaining MUOL-like structures deployed first in Earth and lunar orbit, then in near-Earth solar orbits, and ultimately in solar, planetary, and lunar orbits across the solar system. The node systems built for this network would combine some of the most sophisticated remote sensing and telecommunications systems of the age. Each unit would combine large high-powered active scanning phased array imaging radar systems with similarly high-powered microwave transponder arrays, free-space laser communications arrays, and a powerful self-healing data processing array all powered by large solar power systems. Deployed much like a typical beamship interorbital transport, they would likely rely on modest scale low-g plasma thrust primary propulsion to propel them to their operating positions and ion thrusters with life-time propellent reserves for orbital maintenance, though later more advanced systems may also employ mag-sail orbital maintenance. Nodes in the DST&TN would be designed to communicate with each other extensively and make intelligent decisions on communications routing paths across the network relative to all nodes’ changing orbital positions. They would be able to collectively diagnose disruptions and devise their own dynamic routing solutions. The imaging radar systems of the nodes would be used for both tracking and deep space research and would be a key tool in the prospecting work for asteroid exploitation, functioning in a synthetic arpature radar mode that would allow for very high resolution imaging of objects in space. This mode of use would also be employed with lunar and planterary modes for surface analysis in support of settlement efforts and resource assay and may be used to provide telemetry for surface vehicles and spacecraft. Though designed for a generally long fixed service life due to the great remoteness of their locations, the nodes of the DST&TN would, because of their basis in the same component technologies of the MUOL, be perpetually upgradeable, repairable, and expandable where that proved useful. This would offer the prospect of evolution of these nodes in some instances into MUOF and other facilities if their locations proved strategically important. With the advent of sentient artificial intelligence some communities of Virtual People may actually choose to employ variants of the DST&TN nodes combined with MUOF facilities as the basis of a kind of settlement. Their habitat would be virtual, hosted in large digital processing arrays, from which they would maintain their settlement’s physical hardware through telerobotics –very much the way an organic human orbital settlement would be maintain on its exterior. Telecommunications would be the means of transportation to and from these habitats for their AI residents. Evolving into large cellular layered panels structures with solar collectors on one side, data processing arrays and MUOF facilities in the middle, radiators on the other side, and communications arrays on their perimeter, such virtual settlements could eventually form the basis of Solar Snowflake - Solar Ribbon habitats in the Solaria phase. Parent Topic *Asgard Peer Topics *Life In Asgard *Modular Unmanned Orbital Laboratory - MUOL *Modular Unmanned Orbital Factory - MUOF *Manned Orbital Factory - MOF *Valhalla *EvoHab *Asgard SE Upstation *Asteroid Settlements *Inter-Orbital Way-Station *Solar Power Satellite - SPS *Beamship Concept *Inter-Orbital Transport *Cyclic Transport *Special Mission Vessels *Orbital Mining Systems *The Ballistic Railway Network *Asgard Supporting Technologies Phases